Phonograph



June 25, 1935. L. JONES ET: AL 9 ,05

PHONOGRAPH Filed Jan. 8, 1950 2 sheets-sheet 1 I INVENTORS LESTER L. JONES m r THQMAS E4 PIAZZE BY 3, W

ATTORN E'YS June 25, 1935. L. L. JON-ES El AL PHONOGRAPH Filed Jan. 8, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 POWER SUPPLY LINE POWER UNXT AND AMPLIFIER INVENTORS LESTER-L. JONE5 AND THOMAS E. PIAZZE ATTORNEYS Patented June 25, 1935 UNITED STATES aooam rnonocaarn Lester L. Jones, Oradell, N. .L, and Thomas E. Plane, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignors to Technidyne Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application January 8, 1930, Serial No. 419,265

12 Claims. v (01. 274-10) This invention relates to phonographs and more particularly to control means for automatic phonographs.

,In automatic phonographs it is customary to 5 supply records in succession from a record supply magazine to the phonograph turntable. As each record is played it is discharged from the record turntable and replaced by a new record to be played, but when the last record in the magazine 10 has been played it is desirable to automatically stop the phonograph. One primary object of our invention resides in the provision of means for discriminating between the presence and the absence of arecord on the turntable in order to 15 control the operation of the phonograph. More specifically, we are concerned with electrically operated phonographs, and this object of our invention is to provide a no-record switch for opening a phonograph circuit when there is no record 20 on the phonograph turntable. This we accomplish by utilizing a reproducer which is both horizontally and vertically reciprocable in the usual manner, and providing a no-record switch which is operated in response tothe vertical re- 25 ciprocation of the reproducer, .that is, its movement towardand from the record.

A further object of our invention is to apply the no-record switch so far described to an automatic phonograph of the type disclosed in oo- 30 pending applications of Lester L. Jones, Ser. Nos. 341,076, 341,077, and 341,078,'now Patent No. 1,954,246, granted April 10, 1934, filed February 19, 1929, and to embody said switch in the control circuits for such a phonograph, disclosed in our 35 copending application Ser. No. 403,252, filed ctober 29, 1929, now Patent No..1,954,247, granted April 10, 1934. In this automatic phonograph the record changing operation is performed by oscillating the record turntable about a horizontal 40 axis. The used record is discharged from the record turntable during the downward oscillation thereof, and the record to be played is picked up by the centering pin of the turntable during the v upward oscillation thereof. The record and the 45 reproducer are brought into contact by positioniiig the reproducer, near the peripheral edge of the record, and preferably over the blank peripheral margin thereonand raising the record directly into contact with the reproducer during 0 the upward oscillation of the turntable. Obvi- .,ously,,during the record' change operation the reproducer drop; a level lower than when resting on the recordf and it is raised by the record to be played. "I'hisn ovement may be used to discriminate betweenples'ence and absence of a record on the turntable, and may be made very certain in operation by making the turntable substantially smaller than the records to be played so that in the absence of a record the reproducer is not at all elevated when the turn- 5 table is raised.

From the foregoing brief description it will be understood that the automatic phonograph is provided with stop means for locating the reproducer near the periphery of the record during the upward oscillation of the turntable. In order to insure that the reproducer stylus will be started in the first sound grooves of the record the stylus is preferably positioned over the blank. peripheral margin of the record. and is moved gently inward toward the sound grooves of the record after the record and stylus have been brought into engagement. This movement may, if desired, be aided by a, light spring, but preferably is obtained by making the oscillatable reproducer arm substantially longer than the distance between its center of oscillation and the conventional approximately radial (relative to the record) arc of reproducer travel over the record or, more broadly, by bringing the record and reproducer into contact at a point the motion of which or the tangent to which is at a substantial angle inward of the record relative to a line passing through the reproducer stylus and the center of oscillation of the reproducer arm, that is, a line perpendicular to the direction of movement of the reproducer. With this construction the drag of the rotating record on the stylus draws the stylus toward the first sound groove of the record.

It will be clear thata stop is needed which will position the reproducer at a point adjacent the periphery of the record, but which will free the reproducer for inward movement when the record comes into playing position. If only one size 40 of record is to be played, say ten inch records, this stop may be fixed in position inasmuch as i the stylus is first deposited on the blank margin of the record. Another object of the present invention is to provide stop means for the reproducer which will take advantage of the foregoing facts and fulfill the foregoing requirements. with this in view' we providethe phonograph chassis with a fixed stop, and provide the reproducer arm with means movable upon vertical reciprocation of the reproducer for engaging the fixed stop. The fixed and movable stop means are so relatively located that when the reproducer rests upona record the means carried thereby is moved out of engagement with the stop means, thereby freeing the reproducer for inward movement over the surface of the record.

When the operation of the phonograph so far.

described is carefully analyzed wehave found that itis desirable that the reproducer be permitted to move inwardly of the record as the reproducer is raised by the record in addition to completely freeing the reproducer for inwardmovement when the record finally reaches its normal playing position. This movement is necessitated by the lengthening of the reproducer arm when the arm is elevated to a more nearly horizontal position, and by the movement of the recordtoward the center of oscilla-. tion of the reproducer arm when the record is moved into playing position, these factors being taken in combination with the inwardly directed movement of or tangent to the record at the point of contact thereof withthe reproducer as was previously described. Accordingly, a further object of our invention isto devise stop means which may be of simple and fixed form, and yet which will permit the reproducer to move inwardly of the record during the raising of the reproducer by the record, as well as completely release the reproducer when the record is raised to normal playing position.

A further object of the present invention is to combine the previously described control or switch means and the stop means so that with a minimum of parts the reproducer may be made to operate both the phonograph control means and the stop or positioning means for the reproducer. Y

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as will hereinafter appear, our invention consists in the phonograph elements and their relation one to the other as' hereinafter aremore particularly described in the specification and sought to be defined in the claims. The specification is accompanied by drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a partial plan view of a preferred embodiment of our invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a detail taken in the plane of the line 33inFig.2; and

Fig. 4 is a schematic wiring diagram explanatory of the control circuits of the automatic phonograph.

In automatic phonographs it is desirable to provide control means capable of discriminating between the presence 'or absence of a record on the phonograph turntable in order to stop the phonograph when the last record has been played. In accordance with the present invention, advantage is taken of the difference in the vertical position of the reproducer, in the presence-or absence of a record to control the phonograph, and, more particularly, to operate a switch in the phonograph circuit of an electrically energized phonograph. A number of uses may be thought of for such a switch even in non-automatic phonographs as, for example, to energize a pilot light when the reproducer isturned down to be set upon a record.

In the present case we have illustrated such a switch as applied to an automatic phonograph of the type disclosed in the copending applications aforementioned. A schematic wiring diagram, explanatoryof the control circuits of such a phonograph, is shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, referring 'to which the automatic phonograph comprises a record turntable 2 which is rotated by adriving motor 4. The record turntable is oscillatable about a horizontal axis 6 for the record ejecting and record loading operations, and this oscillation is also caused by motor 4, in accordance with the disclosure in the copending applications of Lester L. Jones aforesaid.

The phonograph is preferably of the electrical type, and therefore includes a power unit and amplifier ID as additional electrically energized equipment. In the present circuit it will be observed that the motor 4 and the power unit I!) are connected electrically in parallel, so that the entire electrical equipment of the phonograph is either energized or deenergized. Between the parallel combination of motor 4 and power unit l0, and the incoming power supply line 12, there is connected, through the leads l4 and IS, the entire control apparatus of the phonograph. Obviously, whenever the circuit between leads I4 and I6 is closed the phonograph is energized, and conversely, whenever the circuit between leads l4 and I6 is opened the phonograph is deenergized.

Between the leads l6 and I4 there is connected a series 'circuit consisting of lead l8, no-record switch 20, lead 22, power switch 30, and lead 26. No-record switch 20 is operated by vertical movement of the reproducer 60, or vertical oscillation of the reproducer arm 62 about the horizontal pivot 64. Reproducer arm 62 is provided with a finger 66 which is lowered when the reproducer is raised by a record, thereby permitting switch 20 to close. The turntable 2 is considerably smaller in diameter than the record 10 to be played, and consequently in the absence of a record the reproducer 60 remains at a level lower than when resting on a record, in which case the finger 66 opens the switch 20.

Power switch 30 may also be in the form of a jack switch, controlled by a cam 32 rotated by a control knob 34, the switch 30 being opened when control knob 34 is rotated counter-clockwise to the o position, and closed when knob 34 is rotated clockwise to the on" position. Obviously, both the no-record switch 20 and the power switch 30 must be closed in order to energize the phonograph, and this-is the case during normal reproducing operation of the phonograph.

In order to prevent the power from being shut oif during the record changing operation, in general, by opening of the power switch 30, which places considerable load on the motor when the power is again applied, and also in the case of the particular circuit arrangement so far described,

in order to prevent shutting ofi of the power because of opening of the no-record switch 20 during the record changing operation, a record change completion switch 40 is provided, which may be in the form of a jack switch which is held open by a finger 42 projecting from the oscillatable turntable frame when the turntable is in its normal playing position, but which is closed as soon as the turntable is oscillatedfor a record loading, record changing, or record rejecting operation. Switch 40 is connected by conductors 44 and 46 in parallel with the series combination of no-record switch'20 and power switch 38, or, in other words, is connected directly across the leads l4 and I6 and therefore serves to en ergize the phonograph whenever the turntable is tilted and continues to do so until the turntable is restored to its upright position. i

A starter switch 50 is connected by leads 52 and'54 directly across the leads I 4 and I6, and

therefore is also capable-of independently enera gizing the 'phonograph.- This is a non-stick" switch, preferably the form of a jack switch which may be closed by a disk 56 on a reciprocable spindle 58, which preferably is the same spindle that is rotated by knob 34. B Pushing knob 34 inward the starter switch is closed and the phonograph is energized. This immediately causes oscillation of turntable 2 about axis 6, which, in turn, closes the record change completion switch 40, so that the starter switch 50 need be closed only for a very short interval of time. Switch 40 remains closed until the record changing operation is completed, but at that time tumtable 2 returns to its upright. position with a record which raises the reproducer and permits the no-record switch 20 to close. This causes the phonograph to continue to be energized despite the opening of the record changecompletion switch 40, provided, however, that the power switch 30 is also closed.

The foregoing description of the control circuits in Fig. 4 has been given in order to illustrate one manner of utilizing the present invention, but these circuits are not claimed herein, being described more in detail and claimed in our Patent No. 1,954,247 aforesaid.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings, the record 10 is carried by a turntable 2, while the reproducer 60 is carried on a vertically oscillatable reproducer arm 62, articulated by means of a horizontal pivot 64, to a horizontally oscillatable reproducer arm 68, carried by a post 12. In the specific structural arrangement here disclosed the reproducer arm 68 consists of a pair of tubular supports between which there is nested a contact switch 20 comprising a movable spring blade 14 and a fixed blade 16. The vertically oscillatable reproducer arm 62 hasfixed thereto an extension or finger 66, the upper surface of which is arranged to bear against a block of insulation 18 fixed to .the movable switch blade 14. As is clearly illustrated in Fig. 2, when the reproducer 60 drops below the normal playing level the finger 66 presses the switch blade 14 upwardly out of contact with the lower contact 16, thereby opening the switch. When the reproducer 60 is raised by engagement with a record to the broken line position 60' the finger is lowered to the position 66, and the switch 20 is permitted to close.

It will be obvious that if the reproducer G0 is positioned at a point near the periphery of a record to be played during the upward oscillation of the record, the resulting movement of the reproducer may be used to discriminate between the presence and absence of a record on the turntable 2, for in the absence of a record the reproducer will not be elevated, the turntable being considerably smaller in diameter than the record, and therefore clearing the reproducer. The downward movement of the'reproducer in the absence of a record may be limited by any conventional stop means or, as in the case here illustrated, by the contact of the finger 6G with the movable switch blade H. It will be clear that if desired the turntable 2 may be made as large in diameter as the records to be played, and the movement of the reproducer equivalent to the thickness of a record may be taken advantage of to operate the switch, but the present arrangement is preferred because it provides'greater movement, and therefore morecertairi operation.

It has been assumed that the reproducer is positioned at a point adjacent the periphery of the record during the record changing operation. To accomplish this anyone of a number of known means, such as the spring I", may be used to lightly urge reproducer 60 inwardly toward a fixed stop 80, mounted upon a post 82 which, in turn,

is rigidly attached to the stationary chassis of the phonograph. The finger 66 is provided with means for cooperating with the stop 80, here exemplified by a stepped lug 84, depending from the finger 66; As is evident from an inspection of Figs. 2 and 3, when the reproducer is depressed the lug 84 is elevated to engage the end of the stop 80. When the reproducer is raised by a record the lug 84 is lowered to the position .84,

thereby releasing or freeing the reproducer forinward movement over the surface of the record. The stop may be movable to accommodate difl'erent sizes of record, but in the present case it is assumed that only one size of record is to be played, say ten inch records, and the stop 80 is fixed. The position of the tip or end of the stop 80 is selected to stop the reproducer, which is assumed to be very lightly urged inward by a spring, at a point over the blank peripheral margin of the record, so that this position is not critical and may be made to accommodate different records regardless of the exact diameter at which the first sound groove begins. The reproducer stylus is moved into the first sound groove, preferably by the drag of the record on the reproducer stylus. To accomplish this the total length of the reproducer arm is made subwantially greater than the distance between the center of oscillation of the reproducer arm I2 and the conventional approximately radial (relative to the record) arc of reproducer travel over the record indicated at 86. The strenuous effort heretofore made to obtain the conventional path is illustrated, for example, in the U. S. patent to Jonasson, No. 1,232,807, granted July 10, 1917.

. More generally, the record and reproducer stylus are brought into contact at a point the motion of which or the tangent to which is at a substantial angle inwardly of the record relative to the longitudinal axis of the reproducer arm, so that the movement of the record tends to drag the stylus toward the first sound groove.

With such an arrangement any effective lengthening of the reproducer arm tends to cause the reproducer arm to oscillate inwardly of the record. For example, in Fig. 2 the movement of the reproducer arm from the position 60 to the position 60' during the upward oscillation of the turntable 2 causes an effective lengthening of the reproducer arm. Assuming the stylus to be resting in a sound groove. the stylus will then be moved from the position to the position 92 in Fig. 1 of the drawings. This causes an oscillation of the-reproducer arm from the position 94 to the position 96.

A similar movement inwardly of the reproducer is caused by the horizontal component of motion of the upwardly oscillated record. The difference in horizontal location of the centering pin of the turntable in the positions 2 and 2' in Fig. 2 may be taken as an example. This causes a corresponding movement of the reproducer stylus along the groove of the record, the change being illustrated by the movement from the point 93 to the point 80 in Fig. 1. This causes an oscillation of the reproducer arm from the position Hill to the position 94. These movements, of course, do not take place separately but concurrently, and the accurately portray a specific instance to scale.

When the record and reproducer come into contact the stylus is on the blank margin of the record rather than in'a sound groove, but slight consideration will show that allowance must be made for this movement, for otherwise the re-' producer will be forced outwardly on the margin of the record. To overcome this difliculty the tip of the stop 80 is sloped as is best illustrated at.

I02 in Fig. 3. This slope may, if desired, be determined by the displacement between the center lines I00 and 96 in Fig. 1. A moments reflection will show that by reason of the slope I02 the stop means 80 and the lug or engaging means 84 are so related that the reproducer 60 is permitted to move inwardly of the record as the record raises the reproducer, in addition to being completely freed for inward movement when the record has been raised to its normal playing position.

From the foregoing description the many uses and advantages of our invention will, for the most part, be apparent. We provide phonograph control means and, more specifically, a no-record switch for an automatic phonograph which is operated in a very simple and certain manner by movement of the reproducer without necessitating the use of additional special equipment other than the switch itself. Stop means is provided for positioning the reproducer at a point adjacent the --periphery of a record to be played, and the reproducer is released for inward movement when the record and reproducer are brought into engagement. The stop means is so arranged that the reproducer is permitted to move inwardly of the record as the record is being raised in contact with the reproducer. A single element added to the reproducer arm functions to operate the norecord switch and to engage a simple fixed stop to properly position the reproducer and to limit the downward movement of the reproducer when the reproducer is not supported by a record.

It will be apparent that while we have shown and described our invention in the preferred form, many changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. In an automatic phonograph in which the reproducer is reciprocable across the record and toward and from the record, and the-turntable and a record to be played are moved upwardly into playing contact with the reproducer positioned near the periphery of the record, means to move the reproducer inwardly, a fixed stop for arresting the motion of the reproducer near the peripheryof the record, and means moved with the reproducer for engaging the stop when the reproducer drops to a level lower than when resting on a record, said means being disengaged from the-stop when the reproducer is raised by a record to be played.

2. An automatic phonograph comprising a re- -producer arranged for reciprocation across and toward and from a record, a turntable substantially smaller in diameter than the records to be played, means to raise the turntable and a record carried thereby into playing contact with thereproducer, means for moving the reproducer inwardly, a fixed stop for arresting the movement of the reproducer near the periphery of the record,

""and means nioved'with the reproducer for engaging the stop wh the reproducer drops to a level lower than who esting on a record, said means being disengaged frointhestop when the reproducer is raised by a record, to be played.

3. An automatic phonograph comprising a rev producer, a. horizontally reciprocable reproducer :arm for carrying said reproducer, said arm being articulated at an intermediate point in order fit'o permit of oscillation of the reproducer toward and from the record, a turntable, means to raise the turntable and a record carried thereby into playing contact with the reproducer, and means for locating the reproducer near the periphery of therecord comprising a stop on the phonograph chassis and means on the articulated portion of the reproducer arm extending rearwardly therefrom for engaging the stop when the reproducer arm moves to a level lower than when resting on a record, said means being moved below and disengaged from the stop when the reproducer arm is moved upwardly by a record to be played. I

4. An automatic phonograph comprising a reproducer, a horizontally and vertically oscillatable reproducer arm arranged for reciprocation across and toward and from a record, a record turntable arranged to be raised in order to bring a record carried thereby into contact with said reproducer, stop means, and means on said reproducer arm for engaging said stop means to position the reproducer at a point adjacent the periphery of a record to be played, said stop means and engaging means having relatively biased surfaces so related that the reproducer is permitted to move limitedly inwardly of the record during the brief time that the reproducer is being raised bythe record, and is thereafter completely freed for inward movement when the record is raised to normal playing position.

5. An automatic phonograph comprising a re-.

producer, a horizontally oscillatable reproducer arm substantially longer than the distance between its center of oscillation and the conventional approximately radial (relativeto the record) arc of reproducer travel over the record, a record turntable oscillatable about a horizontal axis in order to bring a record carried thereby into contact with said reproducer, stop means, means on said reproducer for engaging said stop means to position the reproducer at a point adjacent the periphery of a recordto be played, said stop means and engaging means being so related that the reproducer is permitted to move limitedly inwardly of the record during the brief period that the reproducer is being raised by. the record, and is then completely freed for inward movement when the record is raised to normal playing position.

6. An automatic phonograph comprising a reproducer, a horizontally and vertically oscillatable reproducer arm substantially longer than the distance between its center of oscillation and the conventional approximately radial (relative to the record) arc of reproducer travel over the record, a record turntable oscillatable about a horizontal axis in order to bring a record carried thereby intocontact with said reproducer, stop means, means urging said reproducer arm toward said stop means, and means on said reproducer arm for engaging said stop means to position the reproducer at a point adjacent the periphery of a record to be played, said stop means and engaging means being so related that the reproducer is permitted to move limitedly inwardly of the record during the brief period that the reproducer is being raised by the record, and {is then completely freed for inward movement when the record is raised to normal playing position.

'7. An automatic phonograph comprising a reproducer, a horizontally osclllatable reproducer arm substantially longer than the distance between its center of oscillation and the conventional approximately radial (relative to the record) arc of reproducer travel over the'record, said arm being articulated at an intermediate point by a horizontal pivot in order to permit of vertical reciprocation of the reproducer, a record turntable oscillatable about horizontal axis in order to bring a record carried thereby into contact with said reproducer, fixed stop means, and means on said reproducer arm for engaging said stop means to position the reproducer at a point adjacent the periphery of a record to be played, said stop means and engaging means being so related that the reproducer is permitted to move limitedly inwardly of the record during the brief period that the reproducer is being raised by the record, and is then completely freed for inward movement when the record is raised to normal playing position.

8.' An automatic phonograph comprising a reproducer, a horizontally and vertically reciprocable reproducer arm for carrying said reproducer, a record turntable, means to bring a record carried thereby and the reproducer into engagement, means to move the reproducer inwardly, a fixed stop for arresting inward movement and thereby positioning said reproducer at a point adjacent the periphery of the record, a no-record switch, and means responsive to vertical reciprocation of the reproducer for releasing the reproducer from the stop for inward movement when the reproducer rests on a record to be played, and for operating the no-record switch in response to the presence of a record on the turntable.

9. An automatic phonograph comprising a reproducer, a horizontally and vertically reciprocable reproducer arm for carrying said reproducer, engaging means on, said arm, a record turntable movable upwardly for bringing a record carried thereby into contact with the reproducer, a stop for engaging said engaging means and thereby positioning said reproducer at a point adjacent the periphery of the record, a no-record switch, and means responsive to vertical reciprocation of the reproducer for releasing the reproducer for inward movement when the reproducer is raised by a record to be played, and for operating the no-record switch in response to the presence of a recordon the turntable, said stop means and engaging means being so related that the reproducer is freed for limited movement inwardly during the brief periodthat the reproducer is being raised by the record.

10. Ari automatic phonograph comprising a reproducer; a horizontally and vertically reciprocable reproducer arm for carrying said reproducer, means tending to move the reproducer inwardly, a record turntable substantially smaller in diameter than the records to be played and movable upwardly for bringing a record carried thereby into contact with the reproducer, a fixed stop for arresting inward movement and thereby positioning said reproducer at a point adjacent the periphery of the record, a no-record switch, and means responsive to vertical reciprocation of the reproducer for releasing the reproducer from the stop for inward movement when the reproducer is raised by a record to be played, and for operating the no-record switch in response to the presence of a record on the turntable.

11. An automatic phonograph comprising a. reproducer, a horizontally reciprocable repro-.

ducer armfor carrying said reproducer, said arm being articulated at an intermediate. point by a horizontal pivot in order to permit of movement of the reproducer toward and from the record, a record turntable substantially smaller in diameter than the records to be played and movable upwardly for bringing a record carried thereby into contact with the reproducer, a stop for positioning said reproducer at a point adjacent the periphery of the record, means on the articulated portion of the reproducer arm extending rearwardly therefrom for engaging the stop, a norecord switch carried by said reproducer arm and operatively connected to the said engaging means, whereby upward movement of the reproducer about the horizontal pivot moves the engaging means below the stop and thereby releases the reproducer for inward movement when the reproducer is raised by a record to be played, and operates the no-record switch in response to the presence of a record on the turntable.

12. An automatic phonograph comprising a reproducer, a horizontally reciprocable reproducer arm for carrying said reproducer, said arm being articulated at an intermediate point by a horizontal pivot in order to permit of movement of the reproducer toward and from the record, a record turntable substantially smaller in diameter than the records to be played and movable upwardly for bringing a record carried thereby into contact with the reproducer, a fixed stop for positioning said reproducer at a point adjacent the periphery of the record, a no-record switch carried by said -reproducerarm, and a control finger secured to the articulated part of said arm and thereby responsive to movement of the reproducer about the horizontal pivot for limiting the downward movement of the reproducer when the reproducer is not supported by a record, for releasing the reproducer for inward movement when the reproducer is raised by a record to be played, and for closing the no-record switch in response to the presence of a record on the turntable.

LESTER L. JONES. THOMAS E. PIAZZE. 

